By Mary Brienza, The Packet Group
Mercer County Freeholder Daniel Benson, of Hamilton, will fill state Sen. Linda Greenstein’s vacant assembly seat in the 14th district.
Democrats from both Middlesex and Mercer counties attended a special convention to fill the seat at the Hyatt Regency hotel Saturday.
The 234 attending delegates braved snowy conditions and winter’s chill to cast their ballots so a replacement for Ms. Greenstein could be sworn in by a 35-day deadline, officials said.
Ms. Greenstein, who served in the Assembly since 2000, defeated GOP incumbent Joe Goodwin for the senate seat Nov. 2, becoming the first Democrat to hold the position in almost 20 years, officials said.
There were a total of five candidates for the seat, including West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, West Windsor Councilman George Borek, South Brunswick Councilman Joe Camorata, Mr. Benson and fellow Mercer County freeholder John Cimino, also of Hamilton.
Joe Spicuzzo, retired sheriff of Middlesex County and chairman of the Democratic Party in Middlesex County, said before the election, “Whatever candidate you pick, I am sure will serve the state well.”
Alescia Teel, press liaison at the event, said a quorum was reached with 158 people since there were 313 delegates invited. There were 142 delegates from Mercer County and 92 from Middlesex County for a total of 234, Ms. Teel said.
About 90 delegates did not attend, Ms. Teel said.
Before the final election, state Sen. Linda Greenstein, D-Mercer, Middlesex, said, “I would be excited about working with any of them.”
Wayne De Angelo, New Jersey State Assemblyman for District 14, said he nominated Mr. Cimino because they share interests, ideals and values.
He also said there were other candidates who would be “great” as well.
Before the election started, South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese, who attended with his wife, Ellen, said he was “very pleased” with the number of South Brunswick representatives of the county Democratic committee who showed up at the convention.
Mr. Gambatese said more than 50 showed up, and he had hoped they would choose someone who would win in November since he would like the Democrats to maintain the seat in the Assembly.
Before the election, the candidates gave speeches in which they stated their goals and intentions if they won the seat.
Arthur Robinson, a member of the South Brunswick Board of Education, who initially planned to run, was not one of the candidates at the convention.
”For the good of the party, I took my name out,” he said.
He said he supported Mr. Camorata’s run to become the assemblyman.
He said he initially put his name in to inspire the “average” person to get involved in politics.
Peggy Nichol, 67, from District 18, and a Hamilton resident, said she was a fourth-generation Democrat and she was behind Mr. Benson “100 percent” and chose him in all three rounds of voting.
Ms. Nichol said, “He (Mr. Benson) really is a people person,” adding he’s “done so much.”
Ms. Nichol said she is an advocate for women’s issues, especially breast cancer research and treatment, as she is a breast cancer survivor.
She also said she was “not happy” with former Sen. Tom Goodwin’s votes on women’s issues, saying, “He needed to have an open mind.”
”(This is) a disappointment for Joe (Camorata) and South Brunswick,” Mr. Gambatese said. “I thought Joe (Camorata) did a very good job.”
Mr. Gambatese said it was good for Mr. Camorata to get state recognition even though he lost in the second round.
The third and final round of the election was between Mr. Benson and Mr. Cimino with Mr. Benson winning 112 to 102.
Bernie Hvozdovic, chairman of the South Brunswick Democratic party, said he voted for Mr. Camorata.
”I am very disappointed Joe (Camorata) didn’t make it,” he said.
”At the end of the day, (we) will support the Democrats,” said Mac Shah, who formerly was on the South Brunswick Township Council, adding that it was “great” to see a big turnout at the convention.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Benson said the strength of the Democratic Party showed in the amount of attendees who showed despite inclement weather.

